Archives for August 20, 2014

There is nothing more annoying than to see scratches or scuff marks after your walls or ceiling has been painted. This is a common occurrence so you don’t need to get flustered because there are various methods to fix the flaws and make your wall and ceiling look brand new again.

How to touch up chips

For fixing chips in drywall, use a tub of drywall compound and for chips in wood, opt for wood putty.

Take a putty knife and scoop a portion of filler that is approximately the size of the chip.

Fill the chip with the broadside of the putty knife blade.

Leave it to dry for 24 hours and then sand it with a 120-grit sanding block. The tarnished surface will soon be even with the surrounding areas.

How to remove scuff marks

Wet a cleaning rag (no excess water should remain) and pour some abrasive cleaner on it.

Very carefully, rub the cleaner and rag over the scuff mark to erase it as much as you can. The cleaner should be washed off the wall, following which it should be allowed to dry.

Use a high-quality wall primer to paint the surface and dry as per instructions on the label. After that, re-paint the area with matching paint as the rest of the wall. You can apply two coats if needed (allow the first coat to dry and then check if a second one is required).

If there are too many scuff marks, it is advisable to paint the entire section of the wall.

How to get rid of scratches

Scratches leave grooves in the paint, which means you have to smooth over the area and repaint it.

A small square of fine sandpaper can be used to make the scratched area smooth. Ensure that you sand the existing paint away till the scratch is completely removed.

Take a soft cloth and wipe the area to eliminate any dust from the sanding.

A fresh coat of paint needs to be applied to replace the removed paint.

The area needs to be totally dry, especially if you are going to place furniture against it.